Ponant's Antarctic Cruise on Climate Change

Sometimes a cruise is more than just a vacation. It can be an opportunity to learn more about the world we live in. This cruise is ideal for those who want to learn about and experience the effects of climate change on Antarctica while sailing on Ponant's L'Austral.  Renowned New York Times science writers Henry Fountain and James Gorman will lead lectures and discussion sharing their knowledge of how climate change is affecting Antarctica.

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Learn from Climate Change Masters

​Henry Fountain's topics will include:

• "The State of the Cryosphere"
•  "The Corrosive Ocean"
• "Fixing the Climate" 

James Gorman will cover these topics:

• "The Little Known Southern Ocean"
• "Boom and Bust: how New England sealers drove the Antarctic fur seal close to extinction"
• "Penguins: the evolution and future of the world's most iconic flightless birds" 

In addition, naturalist-guides will present lectures covering wildlife, history, geopolitics, the great explorers, climate and environmental protection.
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Ponant's Antarctica Experience

Chinstrap Penguins

Learning about Antarctica is one thing, but experiencing it is amazing. ​Visiting Antarctica is almost like stepping back in time, to the era when the world was new. There are no human sounds in this land of primeval beauty, only the wild cries of birds, seals, and whales echoing across a vast expanse of land and sea. Travel with to this magical land during the austral summer, when the days are long and relatively mild, when seabirds are courting, and massive icebergs thaw into sculptures of brilliant form and color.

The start of your expedition is marked by the crossing of the mythical Drake Passage, during which you'll likely be escorted by albatrosses and cape petrels, the sentinels of these often-choppy waters.
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When you reach the White Continent, you'll explore the pristine wilderness of the Antarctic Peninsula, a narrow finger of land that juts into the ice-choked waters of the Weddell Sea. Witness a breathtaking panorama of icebergs, blue glaciers, and jagged, snow-capped mountains. Cruise aboard Zodiacs among ice floes; explore penguin rookeries; and visit with scientists at research stations.

During your cruise you are likely to see these inhabitants: humpback whales, Gentoo penguins, Adelie penguins, chinstrap penguins, leopard seals, crabeater seals, Weddell seals and numerous sea birds

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Cruise Details

10 December 2019 to 20 December 2019 - 11 days / 10 nights
Fares start at $14,210/person
FLIGHTS BUENOS AIRES/USHUAIA/BUENOS AIRES + 1-PRE NIGHT IN USHUAIA + TIERRA DEL FUEGO VISIT + TRANSFERS
DOMESTIC FLIGHTS INCLUDED

Your Antarctic Package includes:
Monday, December 9
Meet fellow travelers at the Buenos Aires airport check-in desk for your included flight to Ushuaia. On arrival in Ushuaia, transfer to the Hotel Arakur, overlooking the Beagle Channel and one of the newest and most elegant hotels in the city. Join fellow travelers and our lecturers for dinner this evening.
Tuesday, December 10
After breakfast at the hotel, join an excursion to Tierra del Fuego National Park. Created in 1960, the park is famous for its mountainous landscapes, lagoons, bogs, and rivers. If we are lucky we may encounter beaver dams, birds, wild orchids, and more. Lunch will be in a restaurant within the Park. Return to Ushuaia and the port to embark L’Austral in the afternoon.
– Cruise on board your ship –
Friday, December 20
After breakfast aboard, disembark L'Austral and transfer to the airport in Ushuaia for the included flight to Buenos Aires
Your hotel:
The luxury Arakur Ushuaia Resort & Spa hotel is located within the Cerro Alarken Nature Reserve in Tierra del Fuego, the southernmost province of Argentine Patagonia. Close to Mount Alarken’s summit and located on a natural balcony, 800 feet above sea level, the luxury hotel offers the perfect balance between calmness and adventure. The hotel is surrounded by stunning panoramic views, native forest, natural terraces and green areas harmoniously integrated into the environment. Each of the splendid rooms and suites is decorated using indigenous Argentine materials, such as copper, marble, stone and woods. A restaurant, an indoor pool, and an outdoor pool are available at the hotel.
Included features:
• All flights, accommodations, meals, and excursion described above
• Transfers and luggage handling from the Ushuaia airport to the hotel and from hotel to the ship
• Gratuities to guides and drivers on included excursions
• Comprehensive 10-night cruise aboard the deluxe L’Austral, with all the amenities for which Ponant ships are famous.
• Transfer from the ship to airport in Ushuaia at the end of the cruise.
Not included:
• Meals and beverages other than those specified above
• Personal expenses (such as laundry, telephone, Internet, etc.)
Notes:
This voyage is offered on a space available basis. 
Program is subject to change without notice

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The Ship - Ponant's L'Austral

Courtesy: Ponant

The L'Austral was added to Ponant's fleet in May 2011. It is a superb mega-yacht with only 132 staterooms. Ponant's philosophy is to create a unique atmosphere, a subtle blend of luxury, intimacy and well-being, making the ship the perfect vessel to explore the wonders and challenges of Antarctica. The ship is sophisticated, chic, but casual.

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Explore Different Ecosystems

Ponant offers a variety of itineraries to explore Antarctica in addition to this cruise. Each will provide a unique mix of landscapes and wildlife.

Courtesy: Ponant Cruises

When To Go Depends On What You Want To See

Courtesy: Ponant Cruises